Teacher, your arm is white fur!

So today I had my very funniest "you are different" moment. Well, maybe tied for that time the girls combed my back looking for loose strands of hair to bounce... At lunch three girls happened to be in my classroom and came over to say hi. Suddenly, one started petting my arm and exclaimed 

"Teacher! Your arm is white fur!!"

This took me quite a bit by surprise. I laughed, told her I was not a polar bear, and that fur was for animals. She laughed when she realized her mistake and corrected herself.

"White hair! My arm is black hair, your arm is white hair!!"

Her friends proceeded to pet my arms as well.

I tried to explain the sun bleaches my hair, but they couldn't understand. I'm not blond by Western standards and I would consider my arm hair to be brown.. except in the summer when the sun bleaches it! She then discovered the hair on the side of my arm, out of the sun's power.

"Teacher! Here black hair! And here white hair!!!" It was amusing. 

I then had the brilliant idea that maybe if I showed them how my head hair was lighter on the tips they would understand the sun bleaching process. So I took my hair down from a bun (it's so insanely hot it is usually up these days) and tried to show them. Instead of understanding, they instantly began to pet my head. I really need to emphasize they weren't touching my hair, they were full on petting me. 

Their cute oohs and aahs made it hilarious and I was full out laughing, but I really could not have felt more like an animal! I soon brushed them off cause even cute hands will ruin my curls and then we chatted a little.  I told them in October my parents were coming and one said, very seriously: 

"Teacher. You must show me."

So there you have it mom and dad. Your first fans await!! 

PS The other foreigner teacher at my school is a man with a darker complexion and very persistent facial hair. When he heard the story he simply said "Just be thankful you don't have a beard!!" He hasn't worn shorts in this insanely hot weather because he knows how much he will get petted. Oh the wonders of the crazy foreigner beasts!

PPS I have one persistent letter writer. I was running out of small talk, so at my friend's suggestion I added a joke in my reply. I'm pretty proud of my artwork.